THREE PERSPECTIVES ON THE WORK AND THE MAN 1. I am deeply honoured to be invited to write an Introduction to this soul stirring Poetry Collection. On the day I met Martin a flame was lit, a flame that burns ever brightly in my heart and in my soul and cannot be extinguished. That catalytic meeting set me on a spiritual journey during which we have shared a myriad of precious and treasured memories, which I can dip into at, will. I feel that this book contains a myriad of poems and other writings, which you can dip into whenever you want to touch your soul with their evocative magic  with something special and very different. Listen to their harmonies and their wisdom with your spirit and share some moments in time with the poet. Sometimes youll find your perceptions challenged, sometimes youll feel inspired, sometimes youll be enchanted, sometimes youll be uplifted, sometimes youll feel the wisdom, sometimes youll share a precious moment, sometimes youll feel spiritual, sometimes youll be moved to tears and sometimes youll laugh but youll not remain untouched. My first impression of Martin was of a very old soul full of wisdom  the eyes are the mirror of the soul and the warmth and wisdom of his spirit certainly shone through his eyes as it does through his poems. He was then only 24 years old. I was soon to discover that he was a very talented and accomplished Poet whose poetry I would come to love and enjoy even more than that that of my old favourites Blake, Shelley and Byron. Martins thought provoking and inspirational poems are from the soul and they rarely fail to touch the spirit deeply. The painful memories of his childhood would have drowned the spirit of many a person but his indomitable spirit was not quenched and he came through it all as a shining example of the strength of the spirit to rise above it all, to move forward and learn from the circle of life. Some of this personal journey is captured in The Circle of Life Poetry Collection, which was written before we met and is here published in its original form to illustrate the natural evolution of his poetry. I consider the Arc of the Ancients collection of poems that includes the Prologue to Arc of the Ancients Series, Arc of the Ancients  Invocation of the Paradigm a Series and Epilogue to Arc of the Ancients to be a truly brilliant, thought provoking and prophetic body of work. When I first read them I thought of them as 21st century prophecies but then realized that would not do them justice because they showed humanitys present situation as well as foreseeing the possibilities for the future. The 911 Aftermath Poems follow this and are very poignant whilst again showing the possibilities. The poems show a true understanding of life and humanity in all its diversity and complexities. They show what has been, what is and what could be. The work of a Visionary. The wider issues confronting humanity on its spiritual journey are confronted in the Arc of the Ancients but really I cant put it better than to use the poets own words from the final two verses of Quantum Redux i.e. The heritage of the Arc of the Ancients is a warning, A gift and a reminder that each step you take, Touches the world once gross and subtle, Each an invocation of the paradigm, In the eternal journey of the soul. A revolution is occurring, You may not see it but you will feel it, When the fivefold pattern is born in your heart, Lighting your mind to the possibilities of your soul, A reflection on eternity - the face of the Quantum Redux This should give you a taste of what is to come but I would also like to quote some lines from another poem Miracle in the Darkness because it says much about the ethos of this collection. Time to choose a different way and make a true Miracle from the light that is the hope, That lies waiting to be upheld. To unite in humanity, to unite in diversity, To unite our hopes and fears in peace. The next section The Saga Poems are written in the Bardic tradition. Martin is adept at painting pictures with his words and you can let yourself flow within the horizons of these poems. The Far to the Right of Magic Poems weave a richly magical and mystical tapestry of shimmering colours. These poems will take you into other realms where your perceptions will be challenged. A Rainbow of Love Poems is a beautiful collection of poems and you will find much to touch your soul here. Relax and enjoy. The Otherside of Midnight Poems is such an extremely diverse and fascinating kaleidoscope of poems that it would be impossible to categorize them so I suggest you explore them for yourself. It will be worth it! The poignancy of the Final Reflection Poems will touch your heart in ways that will move you to tears. And finally when you want a rest from poems there are The BloodFire stories and the short story entitled A Christmas Time Story and there is more besides. JEN Wednesday, 05 March 2003 2. A Journey of Life Take a peek into life, into the heart and soul of a being that transcends realities. Experience the colours of warmth and love, the colours of the cold, the myriad shades of emotions, soulful warmth of happiness and joy, the sadness of sorrow and pain. A paradox of collisions of many peoples that have impacted this humans life, the expression of compassion and forgiveness of the misdemeanours of others, and the gratitude for their gifts. Taste the absorption of myriad experiences, fused and moulded into a unique individual, see the questions and challenges that have been posed and expressed in this collective gallery of thoughts, feelings and expressions. Understand and see the pure constant of his desire and zest for Truth & Hope. Feel the merging of realities, the spontaneous revelations, the virgin birth of ideas, the breath of fresh air that blows across your mind and soul, originating from the fearless pursuit of his own sense of purpose, his confronting of self doubts and belief in Hope. Watch the ebb and flow his own current, guiding him through the storms of the past, guiding him to the calm of his own wisdom. See the conjunction of experiences and the learning of a Great Song, the music that plays through us all that transcends the physical, the heart and soul of this special individual that has chosen to share in his myriad perspectives on himself and us all. See the leap of faith from loathing to sheer love of all things in this life and the many things of life that we don't see with our eyes, but can feel with our heart. Be like a drop of water which falls from the sky above which drops into the collective ocean of life, taking the twist and turns as the currents and eddies taking this drop on a journey through all the oceans, up the rivers and their tributaries, feel whats it like to fall over the edge of eternal waterfall, to cascade from a great height to the waiting warmth of the lake below, journey with this soul my friends and partake in this feast of life! Alpha Omega Alpha! JAMES Thursday, 06 March 2003 Dedicated to M.A.D. for his pure dedication to life! 3. Martin is a star in the real and profound meaning of the word; he sheds a bright light for others to see by. He isn't a teacher but his life has become 'a teaching. On the Internet and The Dome, Martin's poetry is eagerly awaited even though there may be tears as well as smiles when we read it. Many people, including myself have been inspired by how he lives his life. Despite physical pain and sickness, he produces poetry layered with meaning and filled with beauty, compassion and humour. His poems are a look into a rare and precious soul and I and everyone who comes into contact with him are privileged and enriched by that meeting. As Walt Whitman said, 'Camerado, this is no book you hold. 'This is a man' SUZZIE, Queen of The Pleasure Dome a Home for Writers on MSN Thursday, 06 March 2003 Weight:0.62 lbs, Armstrong Valley Publishing, 3/28/2003 0:00:00